Feb. 22 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. and U.K. forces have detected al- Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in northwestern Pakistan, near the Afghanistan border, Agence France-Presse reported citing a report in London's Sunday Express newspaper.

Bin Laden and as many as 50 supporters were ``north of the town of Khanozai and the city of Quetta,'' the newspaper reported, citing an unidentified ``U.S. intelligence source,'' the news agency said. Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar is believed to be with bin Laden, the newspaper said, AFP reported.

The leader of al-Qeada, which has been blamed for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, moved 240 kilometers (150 miles) from the south to the Toba Kakar mountains about one month ago, the Sunday Express said, AFP reported. A U.S. defense department spokesman declined to comment on the report, AFP said.

The area is under surveillance from a satellite while forces await orders, the newspaper said in its early Sunday edition, AFP reported. Bin Laden's whereabouts had been discovered from ``a combination of CIA paramilitaries and special forces, plus image analysis by geographers and soil experts,'' the newspaper reported, AFP said.

(Agence France-Presse, 2-22)

To contact the reporter on this story: Andrew Harrison at aharrison2@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: February 21, 2004 19:02 EST